Reasons for Reasons
I was ‘raised’ – to use a phrase from our American friends – in south Lakeland and it has always remained home. Even though I left to study when I was 18 and didn’t return untill September 2010. A lot of years.
During those interim years I have had a great life, travelled and met some wonderful people and also have a managed to bring up my son fairly successfully. So, it although it was sort of ‘on the plan’, my move back North was not without trepidation.
As part of my ‘self affirmation’ that I had made the right decision I started a Facebook album ‘Reasons To Move North’. This has had wonderful comments from my friends but I never had the courage to make it public. Then recently I went on a Travel Writing Course with Zoe ,and much to my delight and surprise received more affirmation from positive comments on my travel writing. Something else which has always remained strictly within closed leaves.
A mindful review of my first year here followed and I realised that I had had an amazing twelve months. Yes, I have travelled away, but I have also done more here in the North West than I would have previously thought possible. And I have had so many visitors! People like it here! I have become a guide for friends and acquaintances who then spread the word about how wonderful the Lake District is. This led to my providing itineraries for weekends or longer visits. Some I accompanied, others I simply provided a ‘bespoke’ itinerary, with or with accommodation booked.
So, now it’s time to go Global!
And now I have built my own blog I have used my technical, from a previous life in IT, to build one for the Howgill Harriers. If you would like one put together then please contact me for a quote.
Singapore Stopover
Reasons has gone east! Or should that be I have lost all reason and gone east! Which ever way I say it I have left the lovely Lakeland hills for a few months and headed east. Far East… Cambodia at the time of typing, just. After a couple of days R&R in Singapore to catch my breath after all that packing and preparation, recover from a 14 hour flight and sleep off the jet lag. Singapore was perfect. There was no problem. I was met at the airport by a man with a card with my name on. So joyous not having to negotiate busses or...
read moreLingmoor and Blea Tarn
Just grabbing a few days out when and where I can in amongst packing up my life. Only ten days now before I head east to Cambodia Blea Tarn Langdales Side pike Stickle Ghyll and the Langdales Looking down to Windermere Little Langdale Tarn Slater Bridge Lingmoor Fell Foot
read moreSt Ravens Edge – by Night
A very civilised way to ‘wild’ camp. Dinner at Zeffirellis. Drive to Kirkstone. Hike up a hill and watch the sun go down. The night slip in. And then sunrise which cast so much colour over the Roman High Street. as morning mist lifted lazily from lake strewn valleys. There were too many photos to take. of Familiar hills darkly etched across the sky in every direction. A wonderful way to start the day.
read moreEarly Morning on Todd Crag
30C in South Lakeland today! It has got better and better July. Summer is really here, and what’s more I am no longer working. Until August. Sadly I am unable to spend all day every day on the hills. Those lists for Cambodia are getting shorter but they are still too long to laze away the days. And so I have grabbed a few hours here and there. Mainly early in the morning when there is not much bar the flowers for company. With soft haze clearing reflective lakes. Mountain ridges etched sharply across a clear sky. with morning...
read moreOne Way Ticket
Having just bought a one way ticket to Cambodia, one way from Ambleside to Langdale was not all that drastic, at least I could walk back. There are several routes, high, low and in between that link Dungeon Ghyll and Ambleside. All on a clear day easy to follow. My route, not very planned, was: I figured just to up on to the ridges, turn right, keep Grasmere and associated tarns left and Langdale valley on the right and, with a wing and a prayer, I should end up in Ambleside. I did end up back in Ambleside without too...
read moreLe Tour Departed
The Dales were much quieter this weekend. Le Tour has gone, steep hills devoid of cyclist. There is an odd yellow bicycle hanging around and a few dangling yellow jerseys. The essential stuff of Yorkshire remains The blue sky, grey walls,and deep green rolling moors. A mix of bucolic contentment with teas and cakes, wild landscapes and agriculture mixed in an industrial past with the ancient rolling hills. All to be found in and around Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale...
read moreCornbury 2014
Since buying my one way ticket to Cambodia my life has turned to lists. Lists which grow. Lists which get ticked and actioned. So busy and all consuming that even Facebook has begun to chastise me for not interacting with ‘my friends’! In between the vaccination schedule and estate agent hyperbole I did stop to take a few photos at Cornbury Festival with music, and bubbles. Day time dancing and night time carousing. Diversity conformity? Art and literature Nashville to a village fete Enough to keep you amused till the end of a day,...
read moreRoads to Red Screes
One or two people have asked what was I going to do now the Wainwrights are all ‘bagged’. Well, there appears to be more than one way of getting up any hill round here and it is just good not to have the onerous list dictating. I wanted to go up Red Screes again simply because I had seen the way up Scandale Fell from the Pikes on the way up to Fairfield. It looked such an easy stroll. And it pretty much was. Though there was more of an initial pull up from Ambleside than I remembered when plodding up to High Sweden Bridge previously....
read moreCapital Adventure – the Detail
Last week Striding Edge was a big picture mountain adventure. This week, no vast vistas or rolling hills, just trains, streets, theatres and retail therapy, but travel on foot, train or plane, anywhere, everyday. short distances and detail can be an adventure. Take the time to stop, look, listen, enjoy. Things will catch your eye, or your ear. Stop rushing and just be. May be one reason I haul a camera with me everywhere. Just to try to catch moments, those small things which can turn the mundane and ordinary into the...
read moreStriding Edge, Eventually
I have lost count of the times I have been up Helvellyn. My parents took myself and 4 other ‘kids’ up when I, the eldest, was only ten. But we didn’t go over the Edge, nor did I any of the subsequent hikes, one being when took my own eleven year old up for the first time in 2001. Still searching for photos of the earlier walks. As the most infamous ridge in the Lake District I am not sure there is a lot more that can be said about Striding Edge. A quick internet search will reveal that it has even appeared in the Daily Mail! ...
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